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planning MA vacation in June....stay tuned

mdurette

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MA just received their reopening plan. Hotels are still only going to be open to essential workers. They are not on the "open" list until phase 2 and phase is starting today...…..

I was thinking of maybe a Cape trip in June, but looks like that won't happen.
 

Talent312

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I appreciate the inclination, but I wouldn't rush it.
We declined to book Longboat Key, Florida, in June.
With social distancing & masks, it's not likely to be much fun.
... Our first trip is Marco Island in August.
 

mdurette

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I appreciate the inclination, but I wouldn't rush it.
We declined to book Longboat Key, Florida, in June.
With social distancing & masks, it's not likely to be much fun.
... Our first trip is Marco Island in August.

I get it....trust me, I run extremely high on the cautious scale. Have only gone out 1/2 dozen times in the last couple of months. For me, what I was thinking about wouldn't be considered a vacation - more of a change of scenery a handful of towns over from where I currently live. Stay in a room that has been "closed" for months, bring all my own groceries from home, but have a different view outside my window and on my walks. By no means would I be going to be a tourist of the area.
 

sfwilshire

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I searched briefly this morning for the latest MA announcement with no luck. We own the last week in June on Nantucket and would really like to be there. If the beaches are open for sitting, I could be happy. Even if MA loosens up, I'm still concerned that Nantucket will be closed. I know the islanders won't want to bring tourists back to the island when they have been so little affected. The businesses and individuals that make a fortune from the tourist business will be on the other side of the fence. I'd be nervous during the 1000 mile drive each way, but I will go if they let me unless the situation takes a turn for the worst in the northeast US. We might have to eat fast food from drive-thrus all the way up. I'm not ready to sit in a restaurant yet, even though they are open here. Keeping my fingers crossed. Everything else has been cancelled this spring and summer. Cabin fever has set in.

Sheila
 

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I've found that if someone in the office answers the phone,
you can get a wealth of information about local conditions.
 

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Brewster Green (two weeks).
Brewster Green on the Cape was to open May 29 but has now pushed it back to June 12th.
 

mdurette

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I searched briefly this morning for the latest MA announcement with no luck. We own the last week in June on Nantucket and would really like to be there. If the beaches are open for sitting, I could be happy. Even if MA loosens up, I'm still concerned that Nantucket will be closed.

Sheila

Yes, not a lot of detail, but here is MA travel page: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/travel-information-related-to-covid-19
MA just started Phase 1 of reopening this week. Hotels are in Phase 2
Here is the list of what is opening by category and phases: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-when-can-my-business-reopen

The time period between phases is a minimum of 3 weeks, progress to the next phase only if no spikes.

There is "talk" about when places open, there will be restrictions that include no interstate travelers. (NH is the same) But, nothing has been officially announced.

Tristrams Landing.....the other day I noticed a 3BR being offered on one of the exchange companies. But, I could find a website anywhere for it to get more info. Can you point me in a direction?
 

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Brewster Green on the Cape was to open May 29 but has now pushed it back to June 12th.
Sea mist resort in Mashpee has done the same. Massachusetts is taking it slow so early June looks unlikely right now. Ho to mass.gov page for updates .
 

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I have an exchange week at Wyndham Bentley Brook for the week of July 5.
It's 20 miles from Bentley Brook to Tanglewood, and I spent $800 on Boston Symphony Orchestra Tanglewood tickets for that week.
Tanglewood is now cancelled and they'll be refunding the ticket money.

Probably I'll just stay home.
 

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nerodog

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I have an exchange week at Wyndham Bentley Brook for the week of July 5.
It's 20 miles from Bentley Brook to Tanglewood, and I spent $800 on Boston Symphony Orchestra Tanglewood tickets for that week.
Tanglewood is now cancelled and they'll be refunding the ticket money.

Probably I'll just stay home.
Hi, Bentley Brook is a nice resort and sadly Tanglewood and Jacob's pillow seasons are cancelled. If the Berkshires are open and cases have been low, there is the Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge, Lee shopping outlets, I know the Berkshire stage will be open. Day trips into Williamstown, Manchester, Newfane, Bennington VT might be a possibility. Perhaps more sightseeing of the area?
Watch Masslive .com abd NECN. Provides lots of updates.
 

Conan

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Hi, Bentley Brook is a nice resort and sadly Tanglewood and Jacob's pillow seasons are cancelled. If the Berkshires are open and cases have been low, there is the Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge, Lee shopping outlets, I know the Berkshire stage will be open. Day trips into Williamstown, Manchester, Newfane, Bennington VT might be a possibility.
We were excited about getting to Mass MOCA (never been) and Clark Art Museum (been once). I wonder if they’ll be open.
 

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We were excited about getting to Mass MOCA (never been) and Clark Art Museum (been once). I wonder if they’ll be open.
Excellent museum!! I hope they will be open. Norman Rockwell museum is also nice to check out and go have a treat on the RedLion porch in Stockbridge. Lenox is a nice town to browse around. Hancock Shaker Village and Edith Warton, The Mount. Further afield, Deerfield and Amherst are great visits.
 

sfwilshire

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Yes, not a lot of detail, but here is MA travel page: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/travel-information-related-to-covid-19
MA just started Phase 1 of reopening this week. Hotels are in Phase 2
Here is the list of what is opening by category and phases: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-when-can-my-business-reopen

The time period between phases is a minimum of 3 weeks, progress to the next phase only if no spikes.

There is "talk" about when places open, there will be restrictions that include no interstate travelers. (NH is the same) But, nothing has been officially announced.

Tristrams Landing.....the other day I noticed a 3BR being offered on one of the exchange companies. But, I could find a website anywhere for it to get more info. Can you point me in a direction?

Thanks for the links for the MA information.

A Tristram's unit with the exchange company is a unicorn. I think I'm one of the few owners that deposits weeks in the spring or fall. I have rented out one of our weeks a couple of times, but I really don't have the time to bother with it. Before I owned there, I managed to exchange in a couple of times, but it was very difficult.

We changed management companies and the old website seems to be gone. https://www.mainstaynantucket.com/ shows some units for rent or for sale, but doesn't specify which ones are at Tristram's. If you look at the sales page, most of the cottages are 3-br such as the ones shown on Arkansas. Ours is 19 Arkansas, for example. One of the bedrooms is small with bunk beds, more suitable for kids, though we put my 21 yo in there last summer and he did fine. There have been a lot of upgrades in the past few years (ouch, says my wallet). I'd be glad to answer any questions you have.

Sheila
 

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We were excited about getting to Mass MOCA (never been) and Clark Art Museum (been once). I wonder if they’ll be open.
You will enjoy Mass MOCA. It's a nice relaxing area of Mass. I hope you get to go!
 

mdurette

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A small update - like every place else, 2 week quarantine requested. I'm kinda surprised they are not stating MA only residents in this like other states have.
 

sfwilshire

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A small update - like every place else, 2 week quarantine requested. I'm kinda surprised they are not stating MA only residents in this like other states have.

Thanks for the update. We are planning to go on our trip at the end of June unless something changes. I spoke with the property manager this week. The limitations are not anything I'm too concerned about, like restaurants being carry-out only. We don't eat out much anyway. We were advised to bring our groceries from the mainland due to some shortages, but we do that anyway due to costs. Our cottage is a stand-alone house so no worries about neighbors.

We'll have to be careful on our 1000 mile drives up and back, but it may be safer than being at home. I was amazed when I went out for groceries yesterday. There was a kids' baseball game in progress at the ball field. Golden Corral and another large buffet were open and the parking lots were full. I believe they are required to have employees dishing out the food rather than having the public touch the spoons. Only about 10% of the people in the grocery store were wearing masks. They even reopened bars this week (with some limitations, you can't stand at the bar, for example) and are allowing live music here. Too soon for me.

Sheila
 

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I get it....trust me, I run extremely high on the cautious scale. Have only gone out 1/2 dozen times in the last couple of months. For me, what I was thinking about wouldn't be considered a vacation - more of a change of scenery a handful of towns over from where I currently live. Stay in a room that has been "closed" for months, bring all my own groceries from home, but have a different view outside my window and on my walks. By no means would I be going to be a tourist of the area.

Exactly what we were thinking of doing for our NH timeshare (we're from NY metro area) - they also have a 14 day quarantine for out of staters. We'd go just a change of scenery and "shelter in place" in the woods and to take walks. We are just deciding whether or not the two-week quarantine prior to the trip is possible. We have only been going out for essentials, but I do go in to work once every couple of weeks to deal with orders. There is only one person allowed in our office at any given time and I haven't been in the same space with anyone else in the building when I go in. We are all religious mask-wearers in my family and we would bring "bathroom bags" with us so we wouldn't have to stop along the way on the 300-350 mile trip to use the restroom.

My biggest concern, even if we followed all the rules, is the impression a NY plate in NH would be, considering NY was a hotspot (the numbers are actually lower now than many other areas currently - our area has very good mask compliance so that's probably a big part of it). I used to live there, so I know what they think of "flatlanders" to start with.

Still figuring it out. It's likely we won't be going this year though.
 

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Thanks for the info - - a family member lives in the Boston area and still has out-of-state plates on the car. I've suggested they keep a copy of their utility bill or apartment lease in the car in case they're pulled over and asked about quarantine.
 

mdurette

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Thanks for the update. We are planning to go on our trip at the end of June unless something changes. I spoke with the property manager this week. The limitations are not anything I'm too concerned about, like restaurants being carry-out only. We don't eat out much anyway. We were advised to bring our groceries from the mainland due to some shortages, but we do that anyway due to costs. Our cottage is a stand-alone house so no worries about neighbors.

We'll have to be careful on our 1000 mile drives up and back, but it may be safer than being at home. I was amazed when I went out for groceries yesterday. There was a kids' baseball game in progress at the ball field. Golden Corral and another large buffet were open and the parking lots were full. I believe they are required to have employees dishing out the food rather than having the public touch the spoons. Only about 10% of the people in the grocery store were wearing masks. They even reopened bars this week (with some limitations, you can't stand at the bar, for example) and are allowing live music here. Too soon for me.

Sheila


This is just a curiosity question if you don't mind as I have been thinking about it for our potential travel.
What happens if you come down with Covid symptoms while traveling.....especially on an island. You can't leave, because you wouldn't be able to go on the ferry or even take a plane back to mainland. I'm sure I am over thinking it.....but I am. What if........
 

mdurette

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My biggest concern, even if we followed all the rules, is the impression a NY plate in NH would be, considering NY was a hotspot (the numbers are actually lower now than many other areas currently - our area has very good mask compliance so that's probably a big part of it). I used to live there, so I know what they think of "flatlanders" to start with.

Still figuring it out. It's likely we won't be going this year though.

This is one of the reasons why I have decided that any summer travel will most likely stay in my home state (MA). I adore NH and that is where I WANT TO BE, but I also GET IT. As a resident of a small town that had all its normal summer people from NY, NJ and CT fleeing to it in March I know what it is like to be a townie and quietly wish in my head that people would just stay where they came from. I say that knowing it isn't fair or right, thus the reason why it stayed in my head. Other townies were not so nice about it.
 

sfwilshire

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This is just a curiosity question if you don't mind as I have been thinking about it for our potential travel.
What happens if you come down with Covid symptoms while traveling.....especially on an island. You can't leave, because you wouldn't be able to go on the ferry or even take a plane back to mainland. I'm sure I am over thinking it.....but I am. What if........

Good question. I suspect you COULD travel on the car ferry, if you stayed in your vehicle. You'd risk infecting your own family, but they might have been exposed already. Originally the Steamship Authority mandated eveyone stay in their car for the entire journey. They later sent out a notice that you could leave your vehicle, but that masks were required. If you weren't traveling with a vehicle, you might have to find somewhere on island to quarantine.

There is always a danger of getting stuck on the island. It's never happened to me (knock wood) but my daughter and her husband were stuck two extra nights when their flight home was cancelled a few years ago. The airline used the excuse of weather, so offered no lodging assistance, even though the weather was fine in Massachusetts. The bad weather was wherever the plane was coming from. We couldn't get in touch with any of our island friends, so they spent a king's ransom for a room for the first night. Fortunately, we found a friend that took them in for the second night.

Sheila
 
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